The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman Book 3, Chapter 24 Summary

Trim got the hots for Bridget, Widow Wadman's maid. Tough luck, because Toby has been trying to avoid Widow Wadman for months.

Trim and Bridget have secret Romeo-and-Juliet-style meetups that go on for five years until about six or seven weeks before the time of Tristram's birth.

One night, Trim was giving Bridget a little preview of the fortifications when he slipped. They both fell down and broke the drawbridge. Mr. Shandy thought this was all pretty funny. Corporal Trim put the battering rams of ancient armies to shame.

Instead of getting mad about being teased, Toby just smoked harder. He puffed out so much smoke that he sent Mr. Shandy into a coughing fit. Ever the sweetheart, Toby started taking care of Mr. Shandy. Mr. Shandy vowed to ease up on the teasing.